T20 World Cup 2021: 3 key players for New Zealand in semi-final against England
The well-oiled New Zealand machine have once again proved their worth in an ICC tournament, making it to the semi-final of the ongoing T20 World Cup. After the defeat to Pakistan, the side bounced back brilliantly to win all their remaining fixtures and book a spot in the last four.
However, they will be up against England - a side that has looked the best so far in the competition. It will be a repeat of the final of the 2019 World Cup and on paper, both these sides look very well-balanced. The nature of the format is that an inspired performance from any individual will be enough to carry the side through to the final.
Celebrations all round from New Zealand and Pakistan as they finish off their Super 12 campaigns on a high, and now look ahead to their semi-final matches 🎉
@RoyalStaglil | #InItToWinIt https://t.co/h149D3bWxO
Here we take a look at the 3 key players from New Zealand in the semi-final against England:
1.) Martin Guptill
This the chance for Marin Guptill to redeem himself after he fell agonisingly short of the target in the final of the 50-over World Cup against England. In the last couple of matches, the right-hander has found some great form and it bodes well for the side heading into the semi-finals.
With 176 runs in five innings, Guptill is New Zealand's leading run-scorer this tournament and the onus will be on him to lead the charge in the powerplay overs. Eoin Morgan will challenge him through Adil Rashid and this will the phase he needs to absorb. If he gets going in this match, New Zealand will be on their way to the final.
Bowler @AdamMilne19 reflects on the collective effort from the team in the @T20WorldCup Group Stage. #T20WorldCup https://t.co/sY8yobLo44
2.) Devon Conway
He has been donning the gloves and is responsible for anchoring the innings in the middle order. The left-hander has been a consistent performer for New Zealand and once again the onus will be on him to drop the anchor in the middle overs.
However, he has also shown in his short stint in this format that he can seamlessly shift gears and go after the bowlers if need be. In 16 innings in this format, Conway has scored 556 runs at an average of 50.55 and with a strike rate 141.12. This is a decent enough sample size that speaks volumes about the abilities of the left-hander and when he walks out at number four against England, he will be expected to get the job done.
3.) Ish Sodhi
The leg-spinner has been one of the trump cards for Kane Williamson this tournament. In favorable conditions, Sodhi has dominated the middle overs and has often been amongst the wickets.
He has already picked up eight wickets in five innings so far and will challenge the stroke-makers of England. The match will take place at the Sheikh Zayed Cricket Stadium in Abu Dhabi - a surface that offers assistance to wrist spinners and Sodhi's variations will be put to test.
There is little doubt that England will target the spinners and this is where Sodhi does not only need to hold his nerves, but also take wickets to keep New Zealand in the game.